Fated Beginning
by Lianie
Summary: A modern sequel to the drama
1. Chapter 1

Qi Long walked out of the museum as Ruoxi/ZhangXiao closed her eyes and continue weeping. Suddenly she heard a voice saying, "Here, wipe your tears." She looked up to see Qi Long standing there, holding out a tissue. He came back. He smiled gently at her, gesturing her to take the tissue. When she still doesn't move, he said teasingly, "This is a special tissue you know. Only the store across from here sells this brand. It's infused with the scent of magnolias," he looked down at the tissue, "Magnolias are my favorite flowers," he looked at her, his smile deepening, "Do you like magnolias?"

Ruoxi/ZhangXiao stared at him. She suddenly realized that the man she had been longing for have been bought to her side. Though the person standing in front of her have no memory of their love, have surely underwent many changes, but deep down in his core, he was still the Yongzhen that she fell in love with. If his love for Magnolia was able to transcend through time and fate, then his love for her must have too. A man who loves as deeply as he did will not forget easily, if at all. Ruoxi realized with the start that there must have been some misunderstanding. 4th prince, her 4th prince, would never refuse to see her for the last time. Something must have happen, something that she doesn't know about. But all of that doesn't matter now. It was time for a new beginning. Zhang Xiao extended her hand and took the tissue.

She smiled at Qi Long, "I love magnolias," she answered softly.

A fission of electricity charged through the air at those words, and something momentum changed within the two people standing there. Though Qi Long didn't know it then, but that was the exact moment the girl in front of him changed from just a passing stranger to an irreplaceable part of his life.

He smiled back, trying to suppress the sudden nervousness, "There's a little café near here. Would you like to go for a cup of tea?"

Qi Long inwardly cringed. Stupid! Go for a cup of tea? It wasn't like they were in the olden days. A modern woman like her would much preferred coffee or something of the like.

"Tea?" Zhang Xiao repeated, lifting her eyes to meet his, "Taiping Hou Kui?"

He looked at her, mildly surprised, "Yes. That's my favorite kind. It's best to drink while eating-"

"Yu'kou cake."

His surprise grew, "Yes…how did you-"

"I always knew."

It was a strange answer. Really, everything about this girl was strange. But what was stranger was his increasing attraction to her, stronger than any normal interest should be, and the fact that, somehow, he knew, just knew, that she was telling the truth.

She smiled at the shock on his face, "Shall we go then?"

Qi Long smiled back, "Yes,"

He made to leave but suddenly stopped and turned around, extending his hand, "My name is Wu Qi Long, by the way."

Zhang Xiao stared at his hand for moment, "Zhang Xiao," she replied, sliding her hands into his.

Their body seemed to know each other. Qi Long felt as if he had been shock by a live wire, rendering him speechless, sending shockwaves throughout his body, both hot and cold. He gripped her hand and pulled her closer.

"Do we know each other?" he asked, his eyes boring into hers, his voice urgent, frustrated.

Zhang Xiao looked at him, "Perhaps, we were meant to always know each other."

That shouldn't make sense, Qi Long thought, but, somehow, it perfectly did.

* * *

><p>As Qi Long lay in bed that night, the scenes from earlier that day kept replaying in his mind. After he and Zhang Xiao got to the café, all they did was sat there and drank tea. They might have said a few words, but Qi Long couldn't recall them. All he could remember was how, after every sip of her tea, Zhang Xiao would close her eyes for a brief moment to let the flavor sink in, and how regally she held the cup, as only a master in the art of tea could. Perhaps she had taken some tea classes. He should have asked her, instead of just sitting there and staring at her like a fool. His heart skipped a beat every time her eyes met his, when her lips would turned upward in tiny smile before she turned her gaze someplace else. How long they sat there, in complete silence, he did not know. It should have been awkward, but it wasn't. It felt comfortable, right, as if they've known each other for years instead of just minutes. He was more than disappointed when she said she had to go, he felt utterly lost. Which does not makes any sense. And he had never felt so nervous in his life when he asked for her number. She looked at him for a moment and it felt as if she was looking straight into his soul. It was another minute before she took out a pen and wrote down her number on a piece of paper, but it felt like an eternity to him. The happiness he felt upon receiving that little piece of paper was almost indescribable. Which does not makes any sense!<p>

Qi Long ran his hands through his hair, frustrated. This whole day did not make any sense. For some reason, he who planned out everything in details, decided on a whim, to go to that stupid Qing Dynasty Exhibit. Just because the flyer for it basically flew into his face. Then, at that museum, he met this girl who was staring at him and crying. Any other time, he would have turned around and ran. He hated crying women. But she…he couldn't pinpoint but he felt as if he knew her. When she wouldn't answer his question or stop crying, he should have left. Which he did, only to run across the street and buy her some tissues. Something just wouldn't let him leave.

Qi Long sighed. He was sounding crazy. He was never a believer in love at first sight or anything cliché like that. Was this what it is? Love? It was not anything he ever felt for any of his ex-girlfriends. It was as if she was a part of him that he never knew existed, but a part that he could now never do without. She was like a song from his childhood, so familiar and comforting yet he couldn't remember when or where he heard it. A song that he knew the melody to but have forgotten the words, which were now lurking around the edge of his mind like a coy dancer, refusing to reveal itself. His hands clenched the piece of paper that he still haven't let go of.

"Zhang Xiao," he said softly, her name familiar and foreign on his lips.

* * *

><p>At the same time across the city, Zhang Xiao was laying on her bed, staring at the ceiling. The same thoughts were racing through her mind as it had when she first saw him at the exhibit today. Was this Heaven's way of giving her a second chance? Or was this merely to fulfill her last wish of seeing him one last time? She knew it was him, and knew it wasn't. He was Wu Qi Long and with him, she can be Zhang Xiao. This meeting had allowed her to let Ruoxi go, but would she be able to let Fourth prince go? She can't begin a relationship, thinking that she's back with Fourth prince. It would be doomed from the start. She knew, that in some deep level, he had recognized her, or at least, knew that he should recognized her. But could she really be with him? Zhang Xiao squeezed her eyes shut. Her memories as Ruoxi, of Fourth prince were still clear as day in her mind. A part of her wanted to grab at this chance to do over this ill-fated love. Yet another part of her wanted to let it all go, to start a new beginning. She would always love him, she knew that. But she wanted to love him in her own way, to keep those memories intact and precious, only bringing them out whenever she missed and needed him. To start over with a man that was and wasn't him, she doesn't know if she was ready for that. She loved the part that was Fourth prince but does she love the part that was Qi Long? No, not yet anyway. And even if they do get together, would it work? What hand does Fate played in their lives right now? What about the other princes? Were they someplace here too? Would history repeat itself? Would their future now be as bleak as the one in the past?<p>

Zhang Xiao let out a hollow laugh. Whether as Ruoxi or Zhang Xiao, she was still as hesitant and scared of the unknown as ever.


	2. Chapter 2

Qi Long closed the documents files in front of him and leaned back on his chair, sighing. Though he had been reading those reports for more than an hour, he couldn't, for the life of him, remember what they said. He had been distracted all morning, and the reason was obvious. Qi Long took out a piece of paper from his pocket. There was really no need to for him to look at it again, seeing as he had basically memorized the numbers written there. But there was something comforting about those numbers. Perhaps it was the way they were shaped, elegant yet straightforward, moving alo-

The paper suddenly disappeared from his hand. Qi Long looked up, startled, only to be greeted by Yuan Hong's mischievous grin. Yuan Hong glanced at the piece of paper he just yanked out. His grin widened and his eyes seemed to gleam with wickedness.

"So," he said, waving the paper, "this is why you were so out of it all day."

Qi Long grabbed the piece of paper back and quickly put it in his pockets. Undeterred, Yuan Hong sat down, his expression amused.

"From my experience," he continued, his voice mockingly serious, "that number must be from a girl." He leaned in conspiratorially, "A very pretty one."

Qi Long flipped opened the documents again, determined to ignore him.

"C'mon, Ge. Give me a little something. What's she like? Is she my type?"

"Your type?" Qi Long repeated, "Since when do you have a type? You'll go for anyone."

"Ge," Yuan Hong said, looking appropriately offended, "You're talking as if I have no standards."

Qi Long continued to leaf through the documents, though the corner of his mouth twitched, "Do you?" he asked.

"Of course!" Yuan Hong answered, his expression somber, "I have some very specific standards," he sat back, "One," he put up one finger, "she has to be a girl. Two," he put up the second finger, "She has to have always been a girl."

Qi Long shook his head in both disbelief and amusement, but otherwise said nothing.

"So tell me," Yuan Hong pressed, "who is she?"

Still nothing.

"If you don't tell me," Yuan Hong said threateningly, "I'll call her and ask myself."

Qi Long's head whipped up. He stared at his cousin for a minute, his eyes narrowed, "You can't have memorized her number already."

"Ge, are you forgetting who you're talking to?"

"You're bluffing," Qi Long said, but his voice wavered slightly.

Yuan Hong took out his phone and announced the number as he pressed them one at a time, "9-7-2-2-2-3-4-"

Qi Long reached out to grab the phone but Yuan Hong moved it just out of his reach. Qi Long's glare was only met with another grin.

"Is she pretty?" Yuan Hong asked.

Qi Long sat back down, defeated, "Yes."

"Just pretty? Or beautiful?"

"She has a traditional sort of face." Qi Long dutifully answered, "She's not exactly gorgeous. Her beauty is more subtle, the kind that only grows the more you look at her. The kind that mesmerizes you before you even know it."

"Wow," Yuan Hong said, "Ge, I didn't know you could talk like that. If only I was a girl and we weren't related."

Qi Long glared at him, "Are we done now?"

Yuan Hong laughed, "Not even close. Where did y'all met?"

Qi Long sighed, knowing that he was on a long road, "At the museum, in the Qing Dynasty exhibit."

"Since when do you go to museums?"

"I just happened to stop by."

"Ah," Yuan Hong sighed, "A fated meeting. My favorite kind. Though you two disliked each other from the beginning, somehow Fate keeps bringing you together. Eventually, you will fall for one another as you found that she is like no other girl you have ever met, and she discovered that beneath your cold, arrogant exterior, there is a warm heart waiting for love. Of course, before you two could get together, there are many obstacles to be overcome, usually in the form of parent's disapproval or love rivals. She will have to compete with your fiancé who is completely obsessed over you and refused to back off. In those hard times, she will turn to the one man that can always make her laugh, your nicer, better looking cousin, Yuan Hong, who is torn between his love for his Ge and the only woman that have ever made his heart skipped a beat."

He placed his hand over his heart and shook head dramatically.

Qi Long stared at him for a minute. "You really need to stop watching those idol dramas."

"Oh, come on. It could happen."

"Alright. One, we do not disliked each other from the beginning. In fact, I like her very much from the beginning. Two, it's been a couple of days already and Fate still have not bought us back together. Three, I do not have a cold, arrogant exterior, or disapproving parents, or an obsessed fiancé. Four, you are neither nicer nor better looking, and there have been plenty of women who have made your heart skip a beat. Your problem is not falling in love, it's staying in love."

"Wait," Yuan Hong said, holding up his hand, "It's been a couple of days already and you still haven't called her yet?"

"That's what you got from all of what I've said?"

"Ge."

Qi Long shrugged, "I didn't want to scare her."

Yuan Hong sighed, shaking his head, "You still have so much to learn. Listen, young grasshopper, if that girl is indeed like how you described, there have to be other guys going after her. You don't want her to get away do you?"

Qi Long shook his head.

"Exactly." Yuan Hong said, "So you have to act fast," he thought for a minute, "I know. Instead of calling her, why don't you pretend to run into her? Play up that whole "Fate" thing?"

"How am I supposed to do that?" Qi Long asked, "I don't know anything about her beside her name and phone number."

"Are you kidding? Just use the internet. With those two things, you can find out her home address, where she works, her family history, even her credit reports, if you want to."

Qi Long stared at his cousin, "Is this how you get girls? By stalking them?"

"Hey!" Yuan Hong said defensively, "I don't stalk girls. I just meet them in preplanned situations."

Qi Long shook his head, "Thanks for the advice. But I think I'm just going to call her."

"When?" Yuan Hong challenged, "Two weeks from now when someone else have already wooed her?"

"No," Qi Long replied, "Today. After work."

"And what are you going to say when you called her?"

"Ask her out."

"Where?"

"What is this? Twenty questions?"

"You don't want to sound like an idiot when you called her. It's better to plan ahead."

"Fine. I was thinking that Italian restaurant down the street. It's famous for its desserts. Girls like sweet stuff, right?"

Yuan Hong leaned back, smiling, "Ah, young grasshopper. You are learning."


	3. Chapter 3

Zhang Xiao kept her eyes fixed on the computer screen as her fingers typed away. It was easier than she thought, getting back to the mundane routine of everyday life. Though it took her a little while to get used to computers and spreadsheets again, Zhang Xiao found little trouble going back to her job. Her fingers were now able to type instinctively, with a life of its own. The downside of this was that it allowed her mind to wander. It was in these moments that she reflected on her life as Ruoxi. It was a life filled with sadness, joy, angst, and, most of all, love. It was the love, Zhang Xiao realized, that kept her from regretting that life. It wasn't just the romantic love between her and Fourth prince, but also the sisterly love between her and Ruolan, as well as familial love between her and the other princes. They were a part of her, both the Ruoxi her and the Zhang Xiao her. It was because of them that she was able to look back now upon that life with fondness, tinged with only a bit of sadness. So no, she doesn't regret it, but she would never, could never, go through it again. That bought her back to the same question that has been haunting her since that day she met him at the museum: would history repeat itself? Zhang Xiao would be lying to herself if she said she wasn't at all disappointed at not receiving a call from him yet, but a tiny part of her was also glad. If he doesn't call, she would not have to make the decision of whether or not she should let him into her life. For all that she was hesitant about, Zhang Xiao knew one thing; she could not go through that heartbreak again, not when her heart was in pieces still.

"Zhang Xiao. Zhang Xiao?"

Zhang Xiao looked up, startled.

"Aren't you getting a little too engrossed in your work?" her co-worker, Xiu Wen, teased.

Zhang Xiao smiled, "Yes, sorry. What were you saying?"

"I asked if you were leaving yet. It's time to get off work."

Zhang Xiao looked at the clock. Time had passed faster than she thought.

"I'll leave in a minute," she answered, "I want to finish this first."

"Don't push yourself too hard," Xiu Wen said, "It hasn't been that long since you've recovered."

Zhang Xiao nodded obediently and waved as she watched her co-workers leave. Leaning back on her chair, Zhang Xiao closed her eyes wearily. She dreaded going home, back to that empty apartment which reflected the emptiness of her life now. It had taken her so long to forget her life as Zhang Xiao and become Ruoxi. Now she must find a way to be Zhang Xiao again. But she could barely remember the Zhang Xiao she used to be. That person was like a distant memory, a childhood friend who used to be so close but whose face she could no longer recognize. All she could remembered was that her life used to be exciting, with parties every weekend and meeting new people left and right. Now her phone was full of messages and missed calls that she have yet returned. She felt awkward, meeting her old friends, as if they weren't really her friends, as if she was an imposter, pretending to be Zhang Xiao. It would take time before she would feel comfortable being here again. It had taken time for her to become Ruoxi, and she didn't carry as much burden then.

At this time her cell phone buzzed, startling Zhang Xiao out of her reverie. It was a number she doesn't recognize. Zhang Xiao hesitated. It could be just some telemarketing, or a wrong number, or…it could be him. Despite herself, Zhang Xiao's heart skipped a beat at the thought. She stared at the phone in her hand, still undecided. Finally, closing her eyes, she pressed the button.

"Hello?"

"Hello? Zhang Xiao?"

Her heart leaped. It was him.

"Yes?"

"Hi, this is Qi Long. I don't know you remember me. We met at the museum?"

"I remember." How could she not.

"Oh. Well…umm… I was wondering if we could have dinner later. If you're free. If you're not then that's fine. It doesn't have to be tonight. Maybe tomorrow, or the night after that. Or..or…"

Zhang Xiao's mouth twitched; he was definitely not the calm, collected Fourth prince of the past. But…perhaps, that's a good thing.

"Tonight is fine," she answered, interrupting his babbling.

"Oh, great." The relief was evident in his voice, "Where are you? I can come and pick you up whenever you want."

"That's alright. Just text me the address of the restaurant and I'll get there myself. What time do you want to eat?"

"I'm good whenever. You decide."

"How about 7?"

"7 is great. I'll text you the address now."

"OK. I'll see you then."

"OK. Bye-bye."

Zhang Xiao gripped the phone as the call ended. She doesn't know whether she made the right decision or not. But if both he and her were not the same person as they were in the past, then maybe their ending wouldn't be as tragic. After all, how many times could Heaven punished a person?

* * *

><p>Zhang Xiao noticed Qi Long the moment she walked in the door. He was seated near the entrance, just beneath the light, making him near impossible to miss. He saw her at almost the exact same time.<p>

"You're here," he said, standing up.

She smiled at him and sat down in the chair he pulled out, "Did you wait long?"

He shook his head, "I just got here myself."

It was a line. He would've said the same thing if he had been waiting for hours.

"Really," Qi Long said, seeming to see through her polite smile, "My office is just two blocks away from here."

Zhang Xiao blinked, were her emotions still so apparent to him?

"This is one of my favorite restaurants. The food here is excellent."

So is the atmosphere, Zhang Xiao noted. With the light dimmed and classical musical playing softly in the background, it was a perfect place for a date. How many women had he taken here before? Zhang Xiao mentally shook herself. It was still too early for those kinds of dangerous thoughts.

"Where do you work?" she asked, changing the subject.

"R&S Real Estate."

"You're a real estate agent?" Somehow she can't imagine him in that kind of job.

Qi Long laughed, "No. I can't sell a thing to save my life. I'm a senior analyst. I analyze the markets and predict future trends. Our company purchases a lot of properties ourselves, so I basically tell them when to buy and when to sell."

"That's sounds exciting." Zhang Xiao stated.

Qi Long raised an eyebrow, "You sounded like you were just trying to be polite."

"I was," she admitted with a laugh.

Qi Long laughed along. It was one of those moments again, when they were in perfect rapport.

The waitress came up then, giving them the menu.

"Do you have any recommendations?" Zhang Xiao asked.

"All of their pasta dishes are really good," Qi Long replied, "Especially the Capellini Pomodoro. It's heavenly."

"I'll have that then," Zhang Xiao said to the waitress, handing her the menu.

"Make that two," Qi Long said.

The waitress nodded as she wrote down their orders and left.

Qi Long turned to Zhang Xiao, "Did you trust me too quickly? After all, I don't know what your taste is like."

Zhang Xiao shrugged, "You said this is your favorite restaurant so I figured you knew best. Besides, I wouldn't know what to order otherwise. It's been a long time since I had Western cuisine."

"Do you not like it?" Qi Long asked worriedly, "We could go to a different restaurant."

"No, no. It's fine. What I meant was I just didn't…have the chance to eat Western foods in a while."

Qi Long could see that there was something else behind that statement but he didn't want to press. Changing the subject, he asked, "Did you have to go far to get here?"

"No," she answered, "my office isn't that far away either."

"Oh, where do you work?"

"KPMG. I'm an accountant."

"Ah," Qi Long said, taking a sip of the wine, "I can see why you thought my job as a market analyst is boring now. It can't really compare to your exciting one."

Zhang Xiao smiled, "You know, insulting the girl's job isn't exactly the best way to win her heart."

"It's alright," Qi Long answered, "I already told them to lace your pasta with so much alcohol that you won't ever remember this conversation."

Zhang Xiao laughed again. She suddenly found herself relaxing for the first time since, well, since she came back to modern times.

* * *

><p>Qi Long couldn't believe his luck. As nervous and awkward as he felt and sounded through the phone, he was actually making coherent conversations. He even made her laugh. Qi Long didn't lie to her. He had just got there a few minutes before she did. He left the office early but spent nearly half an hour at a flower shop nearby, debating whether or not to buy her flowers. He thought it would be a nice gesture, but was afraid she might think it's superfluous. The shopkeeper told him that all girls like flowers, but then he worried that she might be allergic. Finally, he bought a bouquet of magnolias, but decided to leave it in his car to give to her at the end of dinner if the moment is right. He was worried that she might have gotten there before him and was glad to see that she hasn't. He was as tense as ever, sitting there, waiting for her. But the moment that she walked in, all of his tensions rolled away. As it did the day they first met, it felt right, comfortable, being in her presence. He thought he made a big mistake with the restaurant choice and she was only being polite when she said she didn't disliked Western cuisine, but she seemed to be enjoying her Pomodoro very much, praising it several times.<p>

She asked about his family and seemed to be slightly surprised when he told her that he had no siblings and that his parents passed away a few years back. He, in turned, found out that she has an older brother and that her father was a university professor and her mother a nurse. It was going perfectly. Qi Long had decided to give her the flowers after all. He would take it out when he drove her home, the perfect ending to the perfect date. Nothing could go wrong. Or so Qi Long thought until he looked up and saw a familiar face staring at him a couple of tables down.

* * *

><p>Zhang Xiao looked around. She wondered where Qi Long went. He had excused himself a few moments earlier and she had thought he went to the restroom. However, some time has past and he was still not back. Could something have happened? Grabbing her purse, Zhang Xiao stood up, deciding to go look for him. She didn't have to go far. Turning the corner she saw him talking with someone. It was hard to see his expression as they were both standing in the shadows, but Zhang Xiao guessed that that person must be a friend from work. After all, Qi Long had said this place was near his office. He had probably run into him on his way to restroom. Feeling more at ease, Zhang Xiao turned to go back but, at that moment, Qi Long shifted, just enough that some light fell upon them, just enough that she could see the person he was talking to. Zhang Xiao froze as she stared at that oh so familiar face.<p>

* * *

><p>"You have to leave!" Qi Long all but snarled, "Get out. Now!"<p>

"C'mon, Ge," Yuan Hong pleaded, "Let me just have one look at her. I just want to see what she looks like."

"You have been staring at us for I don't know how long. You must have your fill already, so leave!"

"I only saw the back of her head before you came and dragged me away." Yuan Hong whined, "C'mon, just one glance."

"No!" Qi Long growled, "If you don't leave this restaurant in five seconds, I'll never cover for you when one of your girlfriends called ever again."

"Ge, there's no need to play dirty."

"5."

"You're worse than my mom."

"4."

"I know. You're just afraid that she'll fall for my good looks instead."

"3."

"Fine. I'm leaving, I'm leaving."

Qi Long watched with narrowed eyes as his cousin walked away. He was about to go back to his table when he heard Yuan Hong called out,

"But remember, I still have her number!"

Qi Long whipped around but Yuan Hong had already run out. Shaking his head, Qi Long sighed. The road to love was tough indeed. He hoped that Zhang Xiao didn't get mad waiting for him. She didn't look like one to get angry easily. Still, he had better apologized and think of a good reason for why he took so long. However, as he got in view of the table, Zhang Xiao was nowhere to be seen.


	4. Chapter 4

It has been over a week since his date at the restaurant and Qi Long still couldn't get in touch with Zhang Xiao. When he saw that she wasn't at the table, his natural assumption was that she went to the restroom. But he waited for about thirty minutes and she still hasn't come back. Worried that something might have happened, he asked a waitress to go in and check but she came back to report that there was no one there. He tried calling her phone but it went straight to voicemail. So he sat and waited, waited until it was time for the restaurant to close. Since then, he kept trying to call her, leaving both voice and text messages. But she never answered. Qi Long doesn't know what happened. From his point of view, the date went perfectly.

"Don't worry about it too much," Yuan Hong consoled over drinks, "She's just probably mad at you for leaving her alone and is punishing you for it."

"But isn't this too much?" Qi Long asked, "Even if she was mad, some of that anger should have dispensed by now. She should at least answer my calls and let me explain."

"You know how these modern girls are," Yuan Hong answered, "They like to play hot and cold. She's probably doing this to lure you in. And from the looks of things, it's working."

Qi Long shook his head, "She's not that type of girl."

"How do you know? You only met her two times now."

"I just know," Qi Long replied, drowning the rest of his drink.

"What?" he asked, noticing that Yuan Hong was just staring at him, smiling.

"You've fallen hard, haven't you?" Yuan Hong asked, amused.

Qi Long glared at him, "You still dared to talk? If it wasn't for you stalking our date, I wouldn't be in this predicament."

"Hey," Yuan Hong protested, "You don't know if that was the reason. Maybe she did really hate Western foods."

Qi Long didn't answer, only signaling to the bartender to refill his drink.

"Look," Yuan Hong said, "If it bothers you this much, why don't you go and see her in person? You know where she works, right?"

"I don't want to stalk her."

"It's not stalking," Yuan Hong replied, "She was the one who told you her workplace. Besides, you don't know if she had gotten sick or was in an accident. Even if it's just out of some friendly concern, shouldn't you go and find out what happened?"

Qi Long looked at him, somewhat persuaded, "You do have a point," he said contemplatively.

* * *

><p>It had been over a week since her date at the restaurant and Zhang Xiao still haven't answered Qi Long's calls. She knew it was unfair, and that he was probably confused and perhaps even a little angry by now, but she couldn't help it. When she saw Thirteenth prince at that restaurant, so many emotions washed over her that it was actually hard to breathe. She just had to get away and so she did. Zhang Xiao didn't know what to think. Part of her was glad to see him but another part of her was also scared. Not only Thirteenth prince was here but he was also acquainted with Qi Long. Not just acquainted but was quite close with. Though she was standing at a distance away, the comfortable air around the two was palpable. It was something she had witness many times in her life as Ruoxi.<p>

What does this mean then? If Thirteenth prince was here, then the other princes must be too. Do they all know each other? She was both surprised and glad when Qi Long told her he had no siblings. She thought that this was a sign that the same tragedy would not occur again, but was she wrong? Without these questions answered, Zhang Xiao doesn't have the confidence to meet him again. Of course she could have made up some excuse but somehow, she doesn't want to lie to him. It was as if that promise they made lifetimes ago bind her still. So, until she figured out what to do, her best strategy was to avoid him, however long that may last.

"Zhang Xiao."

Zhang Xiao looked up, startled once again as her office came into view.

"Your phone is ringing, aren't you going to answer?" Xiu Wen asked.

For a moment, Zhang Xiao thought she meant her cell phone, which she was sure she had turned off. Then she realized that it was actually her office phone that was ringing.

Smiling sheepishly at Xiu Wen, she picked up the phone, "Hello?"

"Hello? Miss Zhang?" It was Xinye, the receptionist.

"Yes?"

"A gentleman is waiting for you here in the lobby."

"A gentleman?" Zhang Xiao repeated, "Is he a client?"

"No. He said he's a friend of yours," Xinye's voice dropped conspiratorially, "He's quite a handsome one."

Zhang Xiao's heart faltered. Could it be Qi Long? She had forgotten that she told him where she worked. If she said she was busy now, would he leave? Unlikely. He would probably wait until she would see him. But what could she say? "I ran away because I got freaked out at seeing the reincarnation of my best friend and your brother?"

"Miss Zhang?" Xinye called.

Zhang Xiao closed her eyes, "Tell him I'll be right there."

Whether she was ready or not, she owed him an answer.

* * *

><p>Qi Long felt nervous and bit silly as he arrived in front of Zhang Xiao's office. He doesn't know how she would react seeing him here, but his cousin was right, no matter what, he needed to get an answer.<p>

Taking a deep breath, he entered the building. As he walked over to the front desk, he found it empty. Did the receptionist go somewhere? How was he supposed to find Zhang Xiao now? Just as he was trying to think of what to do, he noticed a familiar figure off in the corner. It was Zhang Xiao. Not believing his luck, Qi Long walked toward her when he realized that she wasn't alone. She was talking with a man, a man who was holding very tightly onto her hand.

* * *

><p>"Xiao Xiao."<p>

"Huang Di, what are you doing here?" Zhang Xiao asked, trying to take back her hand.

It was lucky that Xinye had to go somewhere else. Zhang Xiao doesn't know what kind of rumors would spread if the friendly but gossiping receptionist had witness this scene.

Huang Di tightened his grip, "You wouldn't return my calls, or answered any of my messages. What do you expect me to do?"

Zhang Xiao sighed. When she saw her ex-boyfriend instead of the expected Qi Long, she had felt both relieved and disappointed. But right now, it seemed like she was caught in the same old predicament.

"We already broke up, Huang Di," Zhang Xiao answered patiently, "You shouldn't be doing anything at all."

"I know I was wrong," Huang Di said urgently, "I shouldn't have cheated on you with Xiao Mei. But I've changed, Xiao Xiao. Since your accident, I've realized how much I loved you, needed you. I broke things off with Xiao Mei. I really have changed."

"I know," Zhang Xiao replied wearily.

Even her own mother had spoken up for him, stating how he visited Zhang Xiao every day while she was unconscious in the hospital, how he called numerous doctors to try and find better treatments, how he comforted her parents while barely holding on himself.

"I know all of what you've done," she continued, "And I'm grateful but…"

"But what?" Huang Di asked, "I don't understand. The obstacle to our relationship is now gone. Why can't we be together?"

"Because I've changed too," Zhang Xiao replied, "Can't you see, Huang Di? I'm not the same person I was before the accident. Everything changed for me. The things in past that I wanted, I no longer do."

Huang Di shook his head, frustrated, "I don't understand. You were just asleep, Xiao Xiao. How could you just wake up and be a different person?"

Zhang Xiao let out a soft laugh, "I don't understand either. But it doesn't change the fact that it did happen."

"What you're saying," Huang Di said, looking deep in her eyes, "is that you don't want me anymore."

"I'm sorry." she whispered, apologetic but resolute.

Silence descended upon them as Huang Di slowly let go of her hand.

Zhang Xiao looked down, "I'm sorry." she repeated.

Huang Di shook his head, "No. It's my fault. I should have treasured you while we were together."

She had nothing to say to that.

"Could we still be friends?" Huang Di asked quietly, "I can't imagine not having you in my life, Xiao Xiao."

Zhang Xiao smiled weakly, "Sure. Of course."

"Does that mean you'll answer my calls now?"

Zhang Xiao laughed, "Yes, I supposed so."

Huang Di smiled at her, "I'll let you get back to work then."

He watched as she walked away, longing still deep in his eyes. Huang Di doesn't understand what Zhang Xiao meant when she said she had become someone else, but, no matter who she was, it doesn't change the fact that he loves her. He would get to know her and wooed her, and make her fall in love him again, make her want him again. Heaven had almost took her away from him once, and Huang Di would be damned if he let it happened the second time.

* * *

><p>"Ge, calm down." Yuan Hong said, taking the drink out of his cousin's hand.<p>

They were at a bar near the office, where Qi Long had been drowning shots like they were water.

"Give it back." Qi Long demanded.

Yuan Hong sighed, "Would you calm down? You don't really know what happened."

"They were holding hands!" Qi Long growled, "And I heard he called her Xiao Xiao. What else do I need to know?"

He tried to reach for the drink but Yuan Hong held it out of reach.

"Have it occur to you," Yuan Hong asked slowly, ignoring his cousin's glare, "that he might be her brother?"

Qi Long paused at that.

"You said she have an older brother right?"

Qi Long nodded.

"So maybe that's him." Yuan Hong stated.

"But…they looked nothing alike." Qi Long grumbled.

It was Yuan Hong's turn to glare.

"C'mon," he said exasperatedly, "Let's get you home and sobered up."

As he helped his cousin to the car, Yuan Hong couldn't help but wondered what kind of girl this Zhang Xiao was. Was she playing hard to get or just plain playing? Was she as serious about his cousin as he was about her? Or was she the kind of girls who just like to make guys fall in love with them? He needed to know the answers to these questions, Yuan Hong decided, and there's no one better to get them than he himself.


	5. Chapter 5

Zhang Xiao sunk lower in her seat in the corner and wondered for the hundredth time what she was doing here. When Xiu Wen asked if she wanted to go with them to the club later that night, Zhang Xiao gave a vague answer out of politeness. She didn't know that Xiu Wen took that as a definite yes and would show up at her house later with Xinye and their other female co-workers in tow. Zhang Xiao tried to feign fatigue but they weren't having it. Declaring that she had gotten boring since her accident and needed some fun, they raided through her whole closet for a "suitable" outfit and all but dragged Zhang Xiao out the door. Apparently it was masquerade theme night at the club but Zhang Xiao declined the masks they were handing out, finding them silly. She regretted it later though, feeling overexposed in a sea of masked people. She immediately made a beeline to the table seated in the far corner under the shadows. Her friends soon made their way to the dance floor, coming back several times to urge her to join them. Zhang Xiao politely but adamantly refused. She wasn't sure if she could get used to the modern way of partying. Having lived several decades in the past, Zhang Xiao now preferred a quieter lifestyle. She felt old and out of touch, being here, in the midst of the loud music and flashing lights. The black sequined dress her friends picked out felt weird on her body, and she couldn't help but wished it was several inches longer and had sleeves. Zhang Xiao laughed softly, recalling how she, as Ruoxi, had complained about her clothing being too suffocating. It seems like the grass was always greener on the other side.

* * *

><p>Friday night for Yuan Hong usually meant going to parties or clubbing. Granted, he was at a club right now, but instead of being in the center of the dance floor, he was sitting quietly at the bar, ignoring the flirtatious glances coming his way. Yuan Hong sighed, the things he does for brotherly love.<p>

He was rather lucky, Yuan Hong decided, for running into Zhang Xiao's co-workers in front of her office. He had originally planned on snooping around at her workplace, to see what others think of her. But when he heard that her co-workers were planning on dragging her to the club, he immediately changed his course. After all, it was easy to hide your real personality at work, the place where you would want to show your best side. But, at the club, under the influence of alcohol, neon lights, and throbbing music, that was where a person's real character comes out. He arrived at the mentioned club early and waited in his car until he saw the group of Zhang Xiao's co-workers arriving. To his surprise, he had no trouble telling which one was Zhang Xiao. Though his ge's description of her was anything but specific, Yuan Hong was sure that she was the girl in the black mini dress, with her hair tied in a simple bun. Immediately, Yuan Hong could understand what his cousin meant by her "subtle beauty."

Luck continued to be on his side for, as he entered the club, Yuan Hong was handed a mask, it being masquerade night. He had been worrying about the backlash from his approaching Zhang Xiao, especially his cousin's wrath, but it seemed like that was now unnecessary. He would approach her with the mask on, under the guise of a fellow clubber, and, as long as he doesn't take it off, no one will ever have to know. However, there was one thing going against him. He was going to wait for Zhang Xiao to have a couple of drinks and hit the dance floor before approaching her, hoping that the alcohol and music would loosen her up. But he had been here for half an hour already and she still haven't left her seat nor had anything other than water. It was obvious she didn't want to be there. Yuan Hong had better think of what to do soon, before she finally decided that she had stayed long enough.

* * *

><p>She had stayed long enough, Zhang Xiao decided. Besides, her friends were all busy on the dance floor. If she was careful, they probably wouldn't notice her sneaking out. Making up her mind, Zhang Xiao made to grab her bag when she felt someone's gaze on her. Looking up, she saw a guy wearing a mask that covers about the upper half of his face, holding two drinks, standing there.<p>

The guy smiled, "A pretty woman like you shouldn't be sitting here alone."

Zhang Xiao could barely refrain from rolling her eyes. Does he really think that those kind of cheesy lines work?

"I'm with friends," she replied shortly.

To her annoyance and disbelief, the guy didn't take the hint and even had the gall to sit down.

"Then I'll keep you company until they come back," he said, with that same infuriating smile on his face.

"That's alright," Zhang Xiao replied, grabbing her bag, "I was just about to leave."

"Your friends wouldn't like that," he said, nodding towards the dance floor, "If I call them over, do you think they'll let you go?"

Zhang Xiao narrowed her eyes, was he threatening her?

"How about this," the guy proposed, "Keep me company for one drink and after that, I'll help you leave undetected."

Zhang Xiao glared at him, furious, but she had no choice and he knew it. Putting her bag down, Zhang Xiao slumped back in her seat.

"Just one drink," she acquiesced, "And you can't try any tricks."

"Of course," he said, bringing his drink up in a toast.

Zhang Xiao picked up her water and bought it to her mouth, ignoring the guy's glass which was still hanging in mid-air. That didn't seemed to disturb him however as he continued to smile and took a drink of his own.

"I don't know what you like but the apple martini seemed to fit you," he said, gesturing toward the drink, "Simple, elegance, with a hint of tartness."

Zhang Xiao continued holding on to her water, "You should never accept drinks from a stranger, especially in a club. You never know what they've put in there beforehand."

"Oh?" the guy said, leaning back comfortably in his seat, "But how else is a guy approach a girl in a club then? If he comes without a drink, then wouldn't he look cheap?"

"Coming without a drink and looking cheap is better than coming with a drink and a cheesy line and looking sleazy," Zhang Xiao replied bluntly

There was a brief moment of silent before the guy suddenly burst out laughing.

"You're a feisty one, aren't you?" he asked, still chuckling.

Zhang Xiao shrugged, taking another sip of her water. She should have held her tongue or gave a short but polite answer. But, from the first moment this guy appeared, she hasn't been able to hold on to her public façade. For some reason, she felt herself reverting back to her young, aggressive self.

"Do you have a boyfriend?" the guy suddenly asked.

Zhang Xiao looked at him sharply, "You're quite straightforward."

He shrugged, "I'm straightforward when with straightforward people."

"But isn't asking a girl whether she have a boyfriend even before knowing her name a little too much?"

"The answer to my question may or may not eliminate the need to know her name," he replied.

Despite herself, Zhang Xiao felt a smile tugging on her face.

"So, do you?" the guy asked again.

"No," Zhang Xiao answered, "And I'm not looking."

"Pretty girls shouldn't have to look for boyfriends," the guy said, "Boyfriends would be looking for them."

"Let me amend that," Zhang Xiao replied, "I don't have a boyfriend and I don't want one. So no one should bother looking."

"Not even a charming masked stranger?" he asked

"Especially not a cheesy masked creeper," Zhang Xiao answered.

The guy smiled. It was a different smile from the playful, flirtatious one he had been giving. It was genuine, filled with amusement and warmth, so much that Zhang Xiao couldn't help giving a small smile back.

"Alright then," the guy said easily, "Since you don't want a boyfriend, let's be friends then."

"Friends?" Zhang Xiao repeated

"You have heard the concept, right?" he asked teasingly

Zhang Xiao glared at him, "A minute ago you were just hitting on me and now you want to be friends?"

"Yes." he answered simply

"You really think women and men can purely be just friends?" Zhang Xiao asked, "In these times and days?"

"Why not?" the guy replied, "What does gender have to do with friendship? Qui Ran Ke and Hong Fu Nu were of different genders but you can't find a purer relationship than theirs. It wasn't romance but merely sincerity."

Zhang Xiao stared at him in shock. A rush of both warmth and fear coursed through her entire body at hearing those familiar words. She finally understood why she wasn't able to keep her guard up in front of this man, why, after her initial distaste, she had an almost irresistible liking to him, why she felt so comfortable talking to him, much more so than to the friends who bought her here. It wasn't because of the atmosphere, or the music, or the lights; it was because the man sitting next to her was Thirteenth prince. Though, she couldn't see his face, Zhang Xiao was absolutely and completely sure.

Did he know her? No, not the Ruoxi her anyway. But he definitely knew Qi Long. Then did he know about Qi Long and her? If so, then why did he approach her like this? If not, then is this another one of Heaven's arrangement? So many questions went to her mind. What was he doing here? Who was he now? What was his relationship with Qi Long? And…and…was he well? Was he happy? Was he living the life he always wanted, unbound by rules and etiquettes?

"Are you OK?" the guy asked, staring at her in alarm.

Zhang Xiao felt something wet rolling down her face and realized she was crying. No, she was not OK. Memories haunted her still every night in her dreams and now their living ghosts were coming to find her in reality. She wanted to yell, to scream, to cry, to laugh, but she couldn't do those things, not here, not now. So she did the only thing she could do. She ran. She could vaguely hear him calling after her but she kept on going. It was harder to move once she got to the dance floor. Out of the corner of her eyes, she could see her friends trying to reach her, astonished looks on their faces. But she ignored them too and kept her eyes on the exit sign. Finally, she was finally able to weave through the dancing crowd and got to the door. The blast of cold air on her face was liberating. She kept running. She didn't know whether that guy or her friends were coming after her, but she needed to get away. In her blind rush, Zhang Xiao accidentally bumped into someone and almost fell down when a hand reached out to grab her arm.

"Are you alright?" a male voice asked

Zhang Xiao looked up to thank him when all words suddenly left her. The face looking down at her in concern was a very familiar one, too familiar. For the second time that night, Zhang Xiao came face to face with another one of her living ghosts.


	6. Chapter 6

Yuan Hong knew he said something wrong, knew it the moment she froze. She stared at him as if she could see right through his mask. Emotions flashed across her face: shock, joy, sorrow, anger, pain. It would have been almost comical if it wasn't so alarming. Then to his utter horror, her eyes started to fill with tears.

"Are you OK?" he asked, startled

Yuan Hong had never, in his entire life, made a woman cried. Even as a child, he was always sweet and caring to his female classmates, never using bullying or teasing as a way to show affections as so many boys his age did. When he grew up, Yuan Hong knew that he preferred a commitment-free lifestyle and made sure that every girl he was with knew it too. He was always clear about his intentions so most of his breakups were amiable. Of course, there were always some exceptions. Several of his ex-girlfriends had tried to cling on to him, believing that they could change him. Some even used tears to get him to stay. But those tears don't count. They were caused by self-pity and desperation, not by him. But Zhang Xiao's tears were different. They were filled with sorrow, some deep sorrow that he doesn't understand but knew he was part of its cause.

He needed to do something, pat her back, get her a tissue, say some words of comfort, something, anything. But before Yuan Hong could form a coherent thought, Zhang Xiao suddenly grabbed her purse and took off. He could only sit there in shock. It took a minute before what just happened sank in and he started to run after her.

"Wait!" he called

She was already halfway to the exit by then and Yuan Hong could see her friends also trying to get to her. But Zhang Xiao ignored them and kept on running. By the time Yuan Hong reached the dance floor, he had already lost sight of her. Making way through the crowd of dancing people proved to be difficult, with flailing arms and legs everywhere, one which accidentally knocked Yuan Hong's mask off, but he didn't have time to worry about that now. When he finally got out of the club, Zhang Xiao was nowhere to be found. To his surprise however, he saw another familiar figure.

"Xiao Xin!"

The guy turned around. It was indeed Lin Geng Xin.

"Hong Ge," he said, surprised, "What are you doing here?"

Before Yuan Hong could answer, however, Geng Xin laughed.

"Why did I even ask? It wouldn't be a party without Yuan Hong being here."

Yuan Hong smiled at him distractedly, still looking around for signs of Zhang Xiao.

"Listen, Xiao Xin," he said, "Did you a woman running out here? She was wearing a mini black dress and had her hair tied in a bun."

"Yes," Geng Xin answered, looking mildly surprised, "She was the one that had bumped into me then ran off."

"Where did she go?"

"Over there," Geng Xin replied, nodding towards the street, "but she had already gotten into a taxi and left."

Yuan Hong silently cursed, what was he supposed to do now?

"Hong Ge," Geng Xin said, looking at him suspiciously, "what did you do to her? She was crying as she ran away."

"Nothing!" Yuan Hong exclaimed, "I swear!" he added, when Geng Xin continued to glare at him

"I supposed," Geng Xin said doubtfully, "I mean, you're a playboy but you're not exactly an animal."

"Thanks," Yuan Hong said sarcastically, then rubbed his head wearily.

_Did_ he do something?

* * *

><p>Zhang Xiao lay on her bed, staring at the ceiling as she had been doing since she got home two hours ago. Her friends have called her ceaselessly from the moment she gotten in the taxi. She finally picked up with a short response saying that she was feeling sick then quickly hung up, turning off her phone. And now she lay there, with the night's events replaying in her head.<p>

_That face, Fourteenth prince's face._

It was the last face that she had saw in her life as Ruoxi. No, that wasn't quite true. In those last moments, in her mind, her eyes, there was only her Fourth prince. But, now, it was Fourteenth prince's face that kept on haunting her. He looked the same, yet different. Younger, happier. He was more like the Fourteenth prince she first met at Bei'le's manor than the one that had stayed with her during those final days. The latter had been filled with sorrow and anguish, some of which were caused by her. Seeing him now, with unbridled laughter in his eyes, was source of both relief and joy. She had always wanted him to be happy, even when she had hurt him with her selfish requests, hypocrite as she was.

Three sharp knocks on the door interrupted her thoughts. Zhang Xiao sat up, startled. Her friends wouldn't came here to check up on her would they? She considered not answering, but decided against it, knowing it would make her friends even more worried. Ruoxi was selfish but Zhang Xiao would be damned if she hurt her loved ones in the same way again. Pulling herself off the bed, Zhang Xiao went to open the door. Her friends, however, were not the ones standing on the other side.

"Ge," Zhang Xiao said, completely surprised.

Her brother, Zhang Ming, grinned at her, and held up two bags, "I bought you a late night snack," he said, making his way in.

Ever since her accident, her brother, a doctor working in Beijing, had transferred to Shenzhen to look after her and their parents. Though she was fine now, Ah Ming had decided to stay, claiming he was tired of Beijing's hectic lifestyle. Zhang Xiao, however, knew that he was doing this for her, evidence by the fact that he would drop by about every couples of days, which she believed might be due to their mother's promptings.

"I'll call mom tomorrow," Zhang Xiao said as her brother handed her a bowl of red bean soup, "so she won't keep bothering you."

"Don't think too much, alright?" Ah Ming said, "Can't I come because I miss my sister?"

Zhang Xiao rolled her eyes, "You just saw me the other day, Ge."

"Are you getting tired of your brother now?" Ah Ming teased, taking out the spoons, "You know what this reminds me of? Remember when we were kids, how we used to sneak to the kitchen and steal food when Mom and Dad were asleep?"

Zhang Xiao smiled. Yes, she remembered those days. They would eat slowly, careful not slurp or make any noise, then giggling at the silliness of it all. It wasn't even that they were hungry; they just love the thrill of sneaking out when they weren't supposed to. Growing up, her brother was her best friend. Their five years difference made him young enough to be her confidante and old enough to her protector. He had never waved her questions away as childish or quirky as their parents so often did but pondered about them carefully before giving her a serious answer. She used to be able to talk to him about everything, but…could she still?

"Ge," Zhang Xiao said hesitatingly, "Do you…believe in reincarnations?"

Her brother looked at her, "Why the sudden question?" he asked, mildly surprised

"I was just watching a drama on TV about it," she fibbed, "and it just made me think."

"Well," Ah Ming said slowly, "as a man of science, I should say no, but then again, science can't exactly explain everything. Working as a doctor, I've seen a lot of things that just defied logic. Miracles, if you will. There have been some patients who were pulled back from the brink of death and claimed to have seen the afterlife, or their previous reincarnations, or even the future. Of course, most of them are bogus or just hallucinations. But some do make you wonder. So I wouldn't say that I believe in reincarnations but to rule it out completely would be just plain ignorant."

"Then what if, just what if," she said, "you are one of those people who remembered their past reincarnation? And, in the present, you met some people that you knew in your previous lifetime, people you had loved, people you had suffered with, suffered for, caused suffering to. They don't remember you but you remember them. You remembered everything, the happiness, the pain, some which still lingers now. What would you do? Would you want them in your life again? Or would you be afraid that your fates will end in torture again?"

Her brother thought silently for a couple of minutes, "I don't know," he finally admitted, "but I think I would be overwhelmed at first. Though thinking about it carefully, if they are happy now, then I believed I would be happy too. If the past was filled with so much pain, then isn't better that they have forgotten about it? Though I might be a little sad, I would take their being able to move to mean that I would be able to too. If it's like that, then I would fold the past into a corner in my heart, never forgetting it, but also never letting blind my future. As for wanting them to be in my life, I think I would have to ask myself if I only want them as replacements or shadows of their previous reincarnations. If so, then it wouldn't be fair to them. But if I could accept that though their past is ingrained within them, they are now different people and if I could come to appreciate the them now, then yes, I would want them in my life again. I wouldn't let the fear of the past controlled me. If they were not the same person they were, and we are not in the same situation, then why would I have to worry about history repeating itself? Fate may knock you down once, but what's worse than falling down is staying down. Besides, most of the time, inaction do more damage than action does. I think as humans, we shouldn't let the past haunt us, or the future scare us, but just need to live happily each day in the present."

As she contemplates her brother's words, Zhang Xiao felt some of those dark shadows clinging on to her dissolving away.

* * *

><p>Zhang Xiao left work feeling relax and free. She had apologized to her friends and they forgave her easily, merely teasing that she now owed them dinner. Being able to have that talk with her brother had enabled Zhang Xiao to take the first step to finding herself again. She didn't realize how much she needed to talk to someone about the situation. Though she wasn't able to tell him everything, as doing so would required her to relive the experience, something she didn't have the strength for yet, but, for now, it was enough. She smiled peacefully, taking in the beautiful weather today.<p>

"Zhang Xiao,"

Zhang Xiao froze at hearing that familiar voice, the peaceful smile on her face slowly faded. The person that she was both longing and dreading to see was standing right in front of her.

"Zhang Xiao," Qi Long repeated, taking a step toward her.

'Q-Qi Long," Zhang Xiao stuttered, "What are you doing here?"

"Can we talk?" he asked simply

Zhang Xiao couldn't say anything and merely nodded.

* * *

><p>They were sitting on a bench in the park near her company. Neither had said a single word walking here and now the silent was even more suffocating.<p>

"You-"

"Why-"

They paused, staring at each other.

"You go first," Zhang Xiao said, averting her gaze

Qi Long looked down, "Why did you leave the restaurant that day? Was it me? Did I do something wro-"

"No!" Zhang Xiao quickly interrupted, "You didn't do anything. It's not like that."

"Then what is it?"

"I…It's…" Zhang Xiao bit her lip; she doesn't want to lie to him, "I…saw someone I knew that day in the restaurant. Someone I didn't think I would see again. I was shocked and didn't know how to react, so I left. I'm sorry."

Qi Long was silent for second as he processed the information, "That person must have been someone you loved."

She didn't answer and he took her silence as confirmation.

"Then why wouldn't you pick up my calls?"

Zhang Xiao took a deep breath, no matter what, everything have to be resolved today.

"I want to tell you a story," she said, "about my last relationship."

Qi Long turned to listen intently, knowing somehow that this would be a major turning point for them.

"It wasn't an easy love," she started, "It took a lot for us to get together and a lot more for us to stay together. But it was very real and very true. We were happy together, trying to ignore all that would tear us apart. Slowly, though, it all became too much. Perhaps it was because that we love so much, that we found it so hard to forget and forgive. We both have things that we refused to let go of, and they built up to become an unbreakable wall between us. In the end, I chose to leave. It was a decision that broke both of our hearts, but it was one I don't regret. If I had stay, our love would slowly turn into hatred. We were walking on two very different paths and neither of us was willing to turn back. Only by leaving can I preserved our love. Only by leaving can I love him completely and selfishly, blocking off everything else. I thought I could live that, putting him in a protected corner in my heart. But then I met you, and," Zhang Xiao paused, knowing that her next words were very cruel but also knowing that they must be said, "And you remind me of him."

As expected, both shock and hurt filled Qi Long's eyes. He quickly looked away and silence descended upon them again.

"Was that why you were crying that day in the museum?" he finally asked

Zhang Xiao nodded.

"Did he hurt you that much?"

"It wasn't just him," she said, "We both hurt each other."

A few beats of silence, then, "Do you still love him?"

"Yes," Zhang Xiao answered, without a trace of doubt in her voice, "And I think I always will. But I want to move on. I desperately want to move on."

"Do you think you could? With me?"

Zhang Xiao looked at him, infinite tenderness in her eyes, "I don't know," she admitted, but her voice was filled with longing.

"I'm not him," Qi Long declared firmly

"I know," she whispered, but even as she spoke those words, Zhang Xiao couldn't help but think of how the determination in his eyes was so very much like Fourth prince

"And I refused to be his replacement,"

Zhang Xiao nodded. She expected this, that he would end it. After all, it was the normal thing to do. But then why does it hurts so much?

"Therfore," he continued, "I want you, no, I need you, to see me as Qi Long. To start again with me, Qi Long."

Zhang Xiao's eyes widened in surprised as Qi Long turned and looked at her.

"I am Wu Qi Long," he stated, "I was class president all the way up to secondary school. I love studying and was always in the top three of my class. I also love sports, especially Taekwondo. But I disliked partying and hate fighting. I think Ferris Wheels are the scariest things in the world. I preferred handwritten letters to emails. I also love my job. I think the excitement of seeing numbers and being able to predict its changes is exhilarating. I also think that, that I'm falling for you and falling hard."

Zhang Xiao stared at him silently, an air of slight awkwardness surrounding them.

"Say something," Qi Long begged

She blinked, and blinked again, finally, "You're scared of Ferris Wheels?"

"W-well," he said, slightly flustered, "it's just that it's so big and moves so slow. You don't know when it's going to stop and when it does, you don't know if it will move again. If it doesn't then you're just stuck there, miles off the ground and-"

Qi Long stopped when he realized Zhang Xiao was giggling. He tried to glare at her but it only made her laughed even harder. Her laughter was infectious and, after a few seconds of resisting, Qi Long finally joined in.

* * *

><p>"So she told you that you remind her of her ex-boyfriend and your response was that you were scared of Ferris Wheels?" Yuan Hong asked<p>

They were at Qi Long's house as he replayed what have happened earlier that day to his cousin.

"Why does everyone harp on that?" Qi Long moaned, "What about the part where I said I'm falling for her? Wasn't that romantic?"

Yuan Hong rolled his eyes, "And what did she say after she finished laughing at the idiot you are?"

Qi Long glared at him, then sighed, "She asked for some time to think it through. She said she'll call tomorrow."

"That sounds like a line," Yuan Hong said, taking a bite into his apple, "She probably thinks that you're desperate or crazy."

Qi Long's hands twitched, thinking of how satisfying it would be to send the sofa cushion flying into his cousin's face. He took a deep breath, quelling the temptation.

"At least now I know why she was crying that day," Qi Long said

Yuan Hong sat up straight, "Wait, she cried in front of you too?"

"Yeah," Qi Long answered, "It was on the day we met. She must hav-"

He stopped midway and turned to his cousin, "What do you mean... she cried in front of me _too?_ Who else did she cried in front of?"

Yuan Hong froze, realizing his slip, "Ah…umm…I just mean that…girls like to cry…so…she cries in front you, she cries in front of the mirror, she cries in front of her parents. Oh, look at the time, I got to go."

"Xiao Hong," Qi Long said sternly

Squirming under his stare, Yuan Hong sat back down. His cousin doesn't use Yuan Hong's nickname often, but when he does, it was serious.

"You see…" Yuan Hong started, then proceed to telling him the whole story.

* * *

><p>"XIAO HONG!" Qi Long yelled when he finished, his hand clenched to the cushion, the temptation stronger than ever<p>

"Before you do anything rash," Yuan Hong said, putting his hands up defensively, "Remember that I did that out of brotherly love, brotherly love."

Qi Long closed his eyes and took several deep breaths. It was a couple of minutes before he could speak again.

"What if you two met in the future?" he asked through clenched teeth

"That would require her actually wanting to see you again." Yuan Hong reminded him

Qi Long started to pull the cushion out.

"I meant," Yuan Hong quickly backtracked, "You don't have to worry about that. I was wearing a mask then. Even if we met again, she wouldn't recognize me."

Qi Long slowly lowered his arm, "I can't believe you made her cry," he groaned

"I didn't do anything!" Yuan Hong exclaimed, "I swear, she just started crying out of the blue. Maybe I remind her of her ex-boyfriend too?" he stopped, "No, that couldn't be it. I mean, though we are cousins, we look nothing alike. I'm way more handsome than you are. Also I was wearing a mask that day. But then again, what mask can hide my beauty, and that would explain why she has so much trouble letting go of the guy. Oh, I know. Maybe he looks like me but acts like you. A handsome guy with an obsessive disorder. I heard that girls tend to go for guys like that these days."

This time Qi Long didn't even try to resist. The smack as the cushion came in contact with Yuan Hong's face _was_ very satisfying.

* * *

><p>Zhang Xiao sat blankly on her bed. She doesn't know what to think. She would be lying if she said that Qi Long's words today didn't touch her or made her happy. But could she really be with him? Though there were parts of Fourth prince in him, but he could never be Fourth prince, she needed to remember that. It was impossible for her to completely separate the two, of course, but she couldn't just transfer her love from Fourth prince to him either. Could she love Qi Long as Qi Long? She had to figure out the answer now. It wouldn't be fair to ask him to wait any longer. If she couldn't, then she needed to stay out of his life forever.<p>

As soon as those words enter her mind, Zhang Xiao finally knew what her answer was.

* * *

><p>Qi Long's eyes strayed from the report he was reading to his phone on the desk, then back up again. It was almost noon yet no calls had come in, at least none from Zhang Xiao.<p>

"A watched pot never boils," Yuan Hong said from his spot on the office couch, "A watched phone never rings."

Qi Long glared at his cousin, "Don't you have somewhere else to be?"

"Nope!" Yuan Hong replied gleefully, "I cleared up my schedule for the whole day to keep you company. I don't want you to wait for the judgment alone. Aren't you touched? I must be the nicest cousin in the world. I didn't even get mad at you for almost scarring this masterpiece face of mine."

Qi Long opened his mouth, then closed it again, deciding it would be a waste of breath to answer him. Suddenly, his cell phone started to vibrate. Both he and Yuan Hong jumped at the same time. It was Zhang Xiao's number. Gesturing for his cousin to be quiet, Qi Long picked up the phone.

"Hello?" he answered, silently cursing the obvious nervousness in his voice

"Qi Long?" Zhang Xiao's gentle voice greeted him, "It's me, Zhang Xiao."

"Zhang Xiao, hi." He would have recognized her voice from a mile away

"I was wondering," she said, "if you're not busy, could you meet me today after work? In front of that museum where we first met?"

"Of course," he replied

"Alright. I'll see you then."

"OK. Bye."

Qi Long stared at the phone in his hand, allowing time for his heart to calm down.

"What did she say? What did she say?" Yuan Hong asked

Qi Long stared at him, "I swear, you're like a nosy housewife. She just said she wants to meet after work."

"That's it?" Yuan Hong said, disappointed, "Nothing else?"

Qi Long shook his head and once again, picked up his report.

Yuan Hong sat down in front of him, "Ge, can I ask you something?"

"I'm sure you will anyway," Qi Long replied, not bothering to look up

"Why her?" Yuan Hong asked, "Why Zhang Xiao?"

Qi Long looked up then, noting the rare serious tone in his cousin's voice.

"I mean," Yuan Hong continued, "I know you and if it was any of your ex-girlfriends had told you what Zhang Xiao did, I'm sure you would have ended it right then and there. You're not heartless but you're not exactly the kind of guy who would pine after a girl either. So why is Zhang Xiao so special?"

Qi Long thought for a while before speaking.

"She's warm," he finally said, "She exudes warmth. And it felt like home, being next to her."

Yuan Hong stared at Qi Long for a while before suddenly rummaging through his desk.

"What are you doing?" Qi Long asked, taken aback

"Looking for a pen and paper," Yuan Hong replied, "I need write that stuff down. It's going to be a hit with the girls at the clubs."

He jumped back just in time to avoid Qi Long's swinging hand and fell onto the couch, grinning under the latter's glare. All teasing aside, however, Yuan Hong thought he could understand just what his cousin meant.

* * *

><p>"Zhang Xiao," Qi Long said, running over to her, "I'm so sorry. I got stuck in traffic and-"<p>

"It's alright," Zhang Xiao interrupted, "We still got time," she nodded towards the museum, "Today's the last day for the Qing Dynasty exhibit. I thought it would be nice if we could see it again together."

Qi Long nodded dumbly, as thoughts raced through his head.

_What is this? A final farewell at the place where they first met? It couldn't be right? This isn't an idol drama after all._

* * *

><p>"That was a great exhibit," Zhang Xiao said as they were walking out of the museum a couple of hours later<p>

Qi Long nodded in agreement, "I can't believe you know so much about the Qing history," he commented, "If I didn't know better, I would have thought that you were the museum guide."

Zhang Xiao smiled but said nothing.

"It's late. Do you want grab dinner together?" Qi Long asked

Zhang Xiao stopped walking. She suddenly turned around to look at the museum one more time.

"Tomorrow, the exhibit will be gone," she said softly, as if to herself, "All of the past will be wrapped up and move away. Only memories remains."

Sensing a change in her mood, Qi Long stood still. Zhang Xiao slowly turned towards him.

"Before we go any further," she said, "there's something I have to say."

Qi Long nodded, knowing that her next words will determined both of their fates.

"I am Zhang Xiao," she stated, "I was never bad in school but never excellent either. When young, I was forced by my mother to learn dancing and singing, in attempts to make me more ladylike. Though the plan failed, I learned to love both hobbies. I also like to cook but only occasionally. I'm a very picky eater. I'm not good at any sports but I love horse riding. I like rodeos but hate clowns. And I, I want to start over with you, Wu Qi Long."

Qi Long stared at her, the words slowly sinking in. A silly smile crept onto his face. Zhang Xiao extended her hand, smiling back at him. Qi Long took her hand in his, noting how it seems to fit perfectly and how, the moment their eyes met, everything seemed to melt away, leaving only him and her.

After hundreds of years, this was their fated beginning.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** I admitted that when I started this fanfic, this was where I wanted to end. But now that I got here, I don't want to stop. I always hated dramas that end when the main OTP had just gotten together. There just seems to be so much more to be told. The beginning of a relationship doesn't mean the end to the story. Also, BBJX was as much of the princes' story as it was Ruoxi's. I want to explore more in the characters of "modern" Thirteenth and Fourteenth, and maybe adding Eight to the mix as well. There's also the relationship between Huang Di and Zhang Xiao, as well as Zhang Xiao and her brother (who I originally wanted to be based off of Hu Ge but, for some reason, when I was writing, I kept on picturing Huang Xiao Ming instead). To be honest, these are just reasons I'm giving because I'm not ready to give up BBJX just yet. So, for clarity's sake, the story "officially" ends here, but I will continue on. However, there are no plans in my head as to what happens next, not even the roughest outline. Most of you may just stop reading here, letting the rest unfolds itself inside your own imaginations. But I do hope some of you will stay with me as we delve further into _my _imagination. Just a warning, it will be a wild ride, but hopefully, a fun one as well.


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